Jeremiah 3
:5

Jeremiah 3 :5
Translations

King James Version (KJV)

Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, you have spoken and done evil things as you could.

American King James Version (AKJV)

Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, you have spoken and done evil things as you could.

American Standard Version (ASV)

Will he retain his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and hast done evil things, and hast had thy way.

Basic English Translation (BBE)

Will he be angry for ever? will he keep his wrath to the end? These things you have said, and have done evil and have had your way.

Webster's Revision

Will he retain his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldst.

World English Bible

"'Will he retain [his anger] forever? Will he keep it to the end?' Behold, you have spoken and have done evil things, and have had your way."

English Revised Version (ERV)

Will he retain his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and hast done evil things, and hast had thy way.

Definitions for Jeremiah 3
:5

Clarke's Commentary
on Jeremiah 3 :5

Will he reserve his anger for ever? - Why should not wrath be continued against thee, as thou continuest transgression against the Lord?

Barnes's Commentary
on Jeremiah 3 :5

Rather, "Will he, the young husband," retain, "keep up His anger forever!" These words should be joined to Jeremiah 3:4.

Behold ... - Rather, "Behold, thou hast spoken" thus, but thou hast "done evil things" persistently. The King James Version translates as if Judah's words and deeds were both evil. Really her words were fair, but her deeds proved them to be false.

And here ends the prophecy, most interesting as showing what was the general nature of Jeremiah's exhortations to his countrymen, during the 14 years of Josiah's reign. He sets before them God and Israel united by a covenant of marriage, to the conditions of which Yahweh is ever true, while Israel practices with zest every form of idolatry. Therefore, the divine blessing is withheld. It is an honest and manly warning, and the great lesson it teaches us is, that with God nothing avails but a real and heartfelt repentance followed by a life of holiness and sincere devotion to His service.

Jeremiah 3:6-4:4 - "The Call to Repentance"

The former prophecy ended with the denunciation of God's perpetual anger because of Israel's obstinate persistence in sin. Now there is an invitation to repentance, and the assurance of forgiveness. The argument is as follows: Israel had been guilty of apostasy, and therefore God bad put her away. Unwarned by this example her more guilty sister Judah persists in the same sins Jeremiah 3:6-11. Israel therefore is invited to, return to the marriage-covenant by repentance Jeremiah 3:12-14, in which case she and Judah, accepted upon the like condition, shall become joint members of a spiritual theocracy. Jeremiah 3:15-18. The repentance which God requires must be real Jeremiah 3:19-4:4.